When you’re searching for the perfect home along the southern Spanish coast, folks might recommend giving Manilva a thorough look-see, and for good reason. You’re coming here to relax after a lifetime spent in the hustle and bustle of big cities. On the Costa del Sol, there are plenty of places where people live easier, but Manilva is a hidden gem among them.
You won’t need to worry about sky-high buildings or loud construction sites disturbing the remarkable peace here!
Hidden Gem
The white village of Manilva is quite close to a quaint fishing village called Sabinillas and near a yachting marina and golf course. If you keep heading west, you’ll eventually find a hamlet named for a castle: Castillo de la Duquesa. The castle is still there for everyone to admire on the picturesque coast.
If you’ve been used to the crowds of major cities, you’ll adore the leisure of living in a place with just 17,000 full-time residents. Many of those residents work in the agricultural industry, specifically in growing grapes. That means fresh, sweet wines that are locally produced. Just imagine sitting down in the balmy evenings with a taste of something grown and made right in your backyard!
The agriculture of the area isn’t limited to wine, either. Some of the region’s finest red peppers and garlic are grown in Manilva. In Spanish culture, people go to the market every day for fresh produce to cook with, so you know that everything you buy locally sourced will be the envy of others.
History of Manilva
The village hasn’t changed much over the years, although the residents sure have. The Romans founded Manilva thousands of years ago, and there is still evidence in the preserved aqueduct and Roman sulfur baths. Since antiquity, people have believed that bathing in sulfur springs improves skin and can even cure diseases. Even Julius Caesar is said to have come to Manilva to bathe. You can still get in the water nowadays if you can stomach the rotten-eggs smell!
After the Romans, there were plenty of Moorish and Turkish people who were attracted to the area. By the 1500s, that interest had turned into pirate raids attacking the region. Nearby towns offered free land to farmers to encourage more Spanish people to move there and defend against the outlaws.
Annual Festival
One of the best parts of Manilva is the annual autumn festival in Plaza de la Vendimia. In the first week of September, a special celebration is carried out where men stomp blessed grapes. It’s a fun opportunity for everyone to wear traditional Andalucian clothes, sing songs, and generally have a great time.
Of course, it’s also a wonderful time to sample the year’s wine harvest or even just to eat some of the sweet grapes right off the vine. No matter how you celebrate, it’s undoubtedly a lovely custom that entices everyone to take a break from everyday life and come together as a community. Manilva The Hidden Gem in Costa del Sol.